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Firefighters work to control Pagami Fire in Boundary Waters

More than 100 firefighters are working to control a wildfire burning in the Boundary Waters wilderness area east of Ely.

The Pagami Creek fire grew to 720 acres as crews intentionally burned land between the blaze and the popular Lakes 1 and 2 over the holiday weekend.

Firefighters plan to burn another 1,200 acres today to keep the fire from spreading outside the wilderness area.

"If the winds pick up and the fire would move that direction it could easily jump on to islands on Lakes 1 and 2," said Lisa Radosevich-Craig, fire information officer for the Superior National Forest.

This part of the forest where the fire is burning is parched, she said. Recent rains have missed the Arrowhead region, and the forest is very dry.

Three other much smaller fires ignited in the same area over the past few days, but those were all quickly controlled, Radosevich-Craig said.